More than anyone
by fyn64
Summary: This fanfic takes place right after an actual conversation between Seth and Summer from the episode 'New Kids on the Block'. What does it mean to be just friends? one-shot fic


Title: **More than anyone**  
Author: Karleen  
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Warner Brothers. I do not own The OC or any song used in this fanfic. This was just written for fun.

_This fanfic takes place right after this actual conversation from New Kids on the Block._

"Well... I needed the tickets to show you that I could be selfless." Summer looked at him. "And I needed to be selfless to get you to stop hating me. And I needed you to stop hating me so that we could be **friends**." 

"Cohen, that was really sweet."

"Pathetic and sweet."

"No just sweet."

_This is where the fanfic begins. _

He smiled at her and she gave him a smile back. Right then and there he knew he agreed to something that packed more pain than a punch. From here on now, he would just be her friend and nothing more.

"I should go back downstairs, clean up the mess." he said.

"OK." 

"Right." he looked away and bit his upper lip. 

"..and thanks again for the tickets." 

"you're welcome." he glanced back and left the table.

Ryan waited for Seth to finish his work then drove him home. Seth sat on the front passenger seat and placed his head on the car window and stared out into the streets. Ryan glanced at him expecting him to talk about his night with Summer, after twenty minutes, nothing.

"Are you OK?"

"Fine." 

"Sure?"

"Of course not." he looked at Ryan. " But at least she doesn't hate me anymore." 

"How long do you think can you hold up?"

"I don't know... I can be her friend, that's easy. The hard part is knowing that she's going to be with someone else... no matter what." 

"Then, just be there man... you know, embrace the friend."

"I hate karma, suddenly its all boomeranging back."

- - - - - - - - -

"Cohen!" Summer called as she approached him at his locker.

"Hey." he said and looked like he wanted to get away.

"Where are you going?" 

"I ..." trying to make up an excuse. "actually have to go to physics lab."

"Do you want to have lunch together next period?"

"What?" 

"Well... Zach's home sick, and Coop has lunch 7th period today"

"sure" he said contrary to his tone.

"I'll see you next period." she smiled

"OK."

Seth didn't want the day to end. It was the first day in four months that he and Summer actually bonded. He did all he could not to like her anymore but of course that didn't happen. She even drove him to the Bait Shop which put a slight smile on his face.

"I'm guessing it went well last night." Alex approached him.

"Not as well as you think."

"Good job on the bathroom by the way, you're not as flaky as I thought." 

"Thanks" he said with sheer sarcasm. "I'm actually here to quit."

"You're giving up that easy?"

"Nothing else is worth the puke. Plus as you said, I'm just a flake."

"No question there." He shot her a look. "You're a nice guy, you'll find someone."

"Wow sincerity, I didn't know you had it in you. Well at least someone has it. Now I'm just chuck full of hollow..."

"She's got you bad huh?" 

"Since the 5th grade."

"And now you're just friends..." getting to the point.

"just friends" he emphasized the words with apathy.

"Well, I'd better help get the stage ready." she patted him on his shoulder. "You know where to find me when you need some tickets."

"Thanks Alex." he shook her hand. "At least because of all of this, I made a new friend." 

"Right." she said smiling. "Good luck." 

He went straight to his bedroom, not making his detour to the pool house. Usually Ryan would have to listen to him talk about Summer but tonight he just didn't want to talk. He's actually grown accustom to this nightly ritual and wondered why Seth wasn't around. Ryan went up to his room and found him there sitting on his bed with his iPod turned so high.

"This looks all too familiar..." he said then poked Seth. "Hey" he took off his headphones.

"What's up?" he said nonchalantly.

"Nothing much, I just wanted to see if you were ok."

"I am." He gave Seth a look. "not so much."

"Thought so."

"but I had lunch with her today."

"See, you're friends already. Right?"

"No, no it's not about that. Summer's birthday is two weeks away. I want to give her something special."

"What did you get her last year?" 

"We weren't acquainted yet."

"I'm sure whatever you get her will be fine."

- - - - - - - - -

Seth saw Summer in the hallway and approached her. 

"Hey."

"Hi Summer." they addressed each other with smiles on their faces. "I wanted to uh.." before he could finish talking, Zach had his arm around Summer's shoulders.

"What's up guys?"

"Nothing much, Cohen and I were just chatting, what were you going to say?" the more he saw them together, the more uncomfortable he felt.

"I should go to class now." he walked away and she shut her locker. 

"Do you know what class he has next?"

"I think he has AP English. Why?"

"I just wanted to ask him something about the comic book club."

"Seth!" Zach called out his name and he turned around with a weird look. 

"Zach?" he had a puzzled look on his face. "What's up?"

"Since you and Summer are friends now, I'm inviting you to her surprise party that I'm throwing her." he said in a low tone.

"Ok."

"Great!" he exclaimed. "But don't mention anything to her ok?" 

"Yeah." He couldn't say no, after all it is Summer's birthday. At least, he reasoned in his head, he was invited this time.

- - - - - - - - -

"Happy Birthday Summer!"

Zach invited Marissa, Ryan and Seth, so the surprise was kept a surprise. His family was away so he was able to put together a party in his living room. She was indeed shocked, but happy.

'You guys.." she said almost in tears.

"I didn't want to ruin the surprise so I only invited your closest friends." Zach said.  
"This is perfect." she said as she looked around the room filled with balloons and confetti. "When did you guys do this?"

"We were here this morning" Marissa said.

"Thank You, you guys are awesome." 

"And that's not the best part." Zach said.

"It's not?" He took out the presents they each brought. They each grabbed what they got her from him and handed them to her. She opened them one by one, starting with the one Zach gave her. "Aww.. it's a really big soft teddy bear." thank you and she gave him a peck on the cheek. She opened Marissa's present which was a really nice top she wanted. Ryan gave her a bag that Marissa suggested she'd like. She opened the last one, from Seth.

"Wow... it's a pen..." she said and didn't know what to think of it.

"with your name on it." he added.

"Thanks" she said and hugged him but and looked at Marissa in a funny way. Ryan mouthed to Marissa "A pen?" and made a weird face.

Seth and Ryan left and so did Marissa and Summer not much later. She went up to her room with her gifts and put them aside, then she turned around and heard a knock on her door.

"Cohen?" she said surprised to see him. "I thought you went home." 

"Not until I give you this." he handed her a small well wrapped box.

"What is this now... an eraser?" she said jokingly.

"It's your real present." he said.

"What?"

"Open it."

_(A song starts to play in a low volume. "More than Anyone"- by Gavin DeGraw) _

_You need a friend _  
_I'll be around _  
_Don't let this end _  
_Before I see you again _  
_What can I say to convince you _  
_To change your mind of me? _

"Oh my god!" she took it out of the box and it was a silver necklace with a tiny horseshoe studded with diamonds. "Wow."

"They say that a horseshoe is a symbol for good luck."

"This is really beautiful" 

"Sorry about the pen... I just wanted to give you this in private." he smiled then looked on the floor.

"Thank you. This is...I.. " she was out of words. They looked at each other for what seemed to be an eternity. She closed her eyes and he leaned in forward. Their foreheads grazed and their lips slowly touched each others. He kissed her but she didn't stop it and kissed him back. He placed his hands on her face and slowly went down to her back then her waist. They slowly break and kept quiet for a slight moment. They just looked at each other, standing there face to face. He realized what just happened and without another word he left and left her stunned.

- - - - - - - - -

(Summer's room)

"Look what he gave me." Summer showed Marissa the necklace Seth had given her. She asked her to come over her house the next morning.

"Wow." 

"I know."

"Beats the pen with your name on it."

"Well yeah.. " she looked at Marissa. "We kissed."

(Cohen's kitchen)

"What?" Ryan asked while pouring cereal in his bowl.

"Yeah." Seth answered and sat on the stool next to Ryan. "Do you think that means anything?"

(Summer's room)

"There's a possibility that he might still have some feelings for you."  
"You think?" she smiled but realized. "...but no."  
"Because you're with Zach now?"

"No" she said quickly. "I mean yes I guess. But that's not it."

(Cohen's kitchen)

"If I go ahead on it, I might just scare her." Seth said.

- - - - - - - - -

Seth was sitting outside waiting for lunch to end. Zach and Summer were talking and walked by him. They stopped, Zach went the opposite way and Summer walked towards Seth.

"Hey."  
"Hi" he responded.

"Where's Ryan?" she asked as she sat down across from him.

"He has class this period on Fridays."

"Oh." He gives her a half smile and notices that she was wearing the necklace.

"You're wearing it." he said softly. She held it in her palm.

"Yeah. It's really wonderful." they both smile at each other. "I've been meaning to ask you..."

"...about the kiss." still vivid in his mind.

"Yeah."

"Look I'm sorry. I should not have went through with it."

"What?" 

"It was a mistake, and... I hope you don't take this the wrong way, and for the sake of our friendship, it didn't mean anything." even if the words hurt him he said it like he meant it.

"ok." Summer said in a low tone.

"I should just go" he got up. "Its over anyway... lunch, I meant."

After their conversation, all Seth thought about was what he said to her. It wasn't true but yet he said it. He sat in front of his computer and stared at the screen with blank expression on his face. There was a knock on the door.

"The door's open." he said.

"Cohen."

"Summer." he turned around. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to give you this back to you." she handed him the box with the necklace that he gave her.

"This was a present..." 

"Yeah but I don't want to be reminded of someone who's as heartless as you." his eyes opened wide.

"I'm heartless?"

"Whatever." she said sarcastically. She walked towards the door and he grabbed her hand. "Let go Cohen!"

"I will, but you have to listen to me."

_I'm gonna love you more than anyone _  
_I'm gonna hold you closer than before _  
_And when I kiss your soul, your body'll be free _  
_I'll be free for you anytime_  
_I'm gonna love you more than anyone_

"About what? not meaning anything to you, I got that... just let go of my hand."

"About not meaning what I said earlier. I didn't mean to hurt you." 

"You did."

"I know." he let go of her hand. "If I could just tell you, I would."

"Spill it..."

_Look in my eyes, what do you see? _  
_Not just the color _  
_Look inside of me _  
_Tell me all you need and I will try _  
_I will try _

"What? That I still have very strong feelings for you, and that I can't stop thinking about you everyday of my life? And why I agreed to just be friends when I clearly can't" he said quickly and realized he blurted it all out right in front of Summer. He looked down and expected her to run out.

_I'm gonna love you more than anyone _  
_I'm gonna hold you closer than before _  
_And when I kiss your soul, your body'll be free _  
_I'll be free for you anytime _  
_I'm gonna love you more than anyone _

"I knew it." she smiled and lifted his chin.

"I didn't want to scare you." she held his face towards her and he leaned in and kissed her. "but I can't help when this happens."

"Neither can I."

_Free for you, whenever you need _  
_We'll be free together, baby _  
_Free together, baby _

"So what does this mean?" 

"I think you know." he smiled at her.

"But what about Zach?"

"We broke up."

"You still talk to him?"

"We're friends." she smiled.

"Like us friends? or just friends?"

"Just friends." she said and she wrapped her arms around his waist and he smiled back.

"Wait." he said and slightly pulled back.

"What?" she asked confused.

_I'm gonna love you more than anyone _  
_I'm gonna hold you closer than before _  
_And when I kiss your soul, your body'll be free _  
_I'll be free for you anytime _  
_I'm gonna love you more than anyone _  
_I'm gonna love you more than anyone_

_Song Fades_

"Turn around." she did and faced the mirror that he had. He slowly placed the necklace from the back and her smile grew wider as he interlocked the chain. "There you go, right where it belongs. The horseshoe does work." she turned to him and playfully asked. 

"And how is that?" he looked at her with intense emotions and so did she. He kissed her softly and held her close to him. They have never felt this way towards each other before, or anyone else. A barrier has been broken, and to each other they had confided their love for one another.


End file.
